Click here if you were educated outside of the United States or educated in Puerto Rico after September 1, 2006.
NOTE: A VisaScreen Certificate for Licensure is required if your nursing education was received outside of the United States.
Applications and documents are reviewed within 14 days. However if you respond "Yes" to the disciplinary or conviction questions it can take up to 3 months for processing your application.
Licensure Requirements
- Examination Application and $125.00 fee (fees are non-refundable). Applications are valid for one year, or if an applicant is unsuccessful on NCLEX, the application will expire at that time.
Application is best viewed using Internet Explorer or Firefox
- Kentucky Criminal Background Report
KBN will receive an electronic copy of the report, if you request the report online and follow the instructions
[PDF Format - 201KB] accurately.
- Fingerprint Card and $12.00 fee payable to KSP.
Please mail the card and fee to:- Kentucky State Police
- Records Branch
- 1266 Louisville Rd
- Frankfort, KY 40601
All fingerprint cards and fees received at KBN will be returned to the applicant. Initial fingerprint card and fee of $12.00 must be mailed to the Kentucky State Police.
- Complete the Kentucky Jurisprudence Exam
- Completion of an Approved Program of Nursing
- Certified List of Graduates
- Program may contact KBN to submit an Out-of-State Certified List, or
- Graduate may submit an official transcript, with degree and date degree posted
- Pass NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination
- Register online: www.pearsonvue.com/nclex
- By phone: 1-866-496-2539
- Provide: Social Security Number (Failure to provide your SSN to Pearson VUE will delay your being made eligible to sit for NCLEX).
- Valid Email Address (preferably a personal email). Pearson VUE will send your Authorization To Test (ATT) to the email address that you provide.
- The Authorization To Test (ATT) is issued by Pearson VUE
- Click here for additional information on the NCLEX examination process .
- Click here to access NCSBN's learning extension , which includes information on NCLEX review courses.
- Required Continuing Competency
Click here for information on Provisional License.
Allow 7-14 business days for an application to be reviewed.
Application Status
Follow the status of your application as it is being processed - it will list what requirements are needed before your license will be issued.
Unsuccessful on NCLEX
If you were unsuccessful on NCLEX and need to retake, click here.